Steel bar conveying apparatus



Dec. 9, 1952 L. wlNsToN STEEL BAR CONVEYING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 5. 1950 NKY@ WN @N n www,

DeC 9 1952 l.. WINSTON 2,620,931

STEEL BAR CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed oct. :5, 195o 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 1 (97Z @M Dec. 9, 1952 wlNsTQN 2,620,931

I STEEL BAR CONVEYING APPARATUS IIl! Hirn Dec. 9, 1952 1 w1N$ToN 2,620,931

STEEL BAR CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed oct. 5, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 4 NNWW F MON mgm vGN QN bm WQ BY 7%@ m m KY@ .CODVEYOR Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEEL BAR CONVEYING APPARATUS- Love Winston, Chicago, Ill' Application October 3, 195.0, Serial No. 188,105

17 Claims.

1. My invention relates to conveyorsusable for moving steel bars outsidev of steel plants to loading zones, and is. an improvement; over'the structure patentedl by me on August 13', 1946, under.

Patent. No. 2,405,920. One object of the" improved conveyor is to provide better facilities for handling and moving the. steel bars.

A further object is to group. or pile the steel bars together for better loading eiiciency.

Another object is to provide means for handling; different types` of bars.

A still further object* is to, provide handy and eiicient" controls.

WithV the above objects in view. and any others which may suggest themselves from'. the description tofollow; a betterunderstanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings,v in which- Fig. 1 is atop planview--of the apparatus;

Fig, 2' is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment of. the righthand portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4y is a section on the line. 4-18 of Fig. 3, showing the conveyor in the initial position;

Fig: 5 is a View similarv to Fig. 4, showing a stepin the progress of the conveyor;

Fig. 6v is a view Isimilar to Fig. 5, showing a further or final step in the progress of the con- VeyOl;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the frontal portion of the apparatus;

Fig. Sis a section of a detail, taken on the line 8--8 of Fig.V 1;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the upper units removed' to reveal the lower portion: Qf the apparatus;

Figs. 1.0 and 11 are, respectively, sections on the lines I U-l and H--I-l of Fig. 9,; and

Fig. 12 is a section on vthe line. I 2--l2 of- Fig. 3'.

In accordance with the foregoingr specific reference to4 the drawings indicates the base of the structure at. I5, the sides of the same being built up with the rails. IG comprising the track of the The base is divided along the center to dene a space in which a channeled track l1 is located; such track running well to thev rear of thev base.

The base f5 is formed with a transverse support I9- at itsrear end, which has bearings 20 for a pair of rollers 2l, these being designed` to receive each bar 22- ofsteel as it comes from the plant, in a manner similar to the receiving rollers of" my patented structure; and an end stop 23 is provided for the bar'22.

As in thefprevious case,y a carriage 25, is pro'- vi'ded to bear the weight of each bar as it is carried forward, the lateral sections 26 of thev car'- riage being similar'to those: in. my patent. Thus, the rear ends. of the track rails' I6. are curved down with approaches 2.1; and the conveyor sec.- tions have rollers. 28y to facilitate the climbing andv travel of the carriage sections` over the` track rails.

The forward travel of the lsteel. bar' is initiated by a pusher-carried by a motor belt-drive.. Thus, a motor 29 operates the main shaft 30 of the drive, which. is at the. forwardA end of the conveyor and carries a pulley v3 i. The center channel l1 is; extended rearwardly with a journal 3.2 for a pulley 34 in line with the pulley 3l'. A belt 35 connects the two pulleysv and is mounted. on the pulley 3:1- in winding; relation, so that the drive will bepositive in eitherdirection.

The carriage 25 receives a center gliderU 40 mounted on wheels Ma to run in the channel |.1 and having upright end pieces 4l connected by a longitudinal track strip 43. A slide is designed to operate forth. and back along the track strip, and is formed in the manner of. a receptacle throughA whose ends theupper run of the belt 35 extends. The pusher for the steel bar 22' is mounted over the slide 45. Thus, the forward portion of the pusher receives the rear end. of a link 5l whose forward endl is journaled in a bearing 52- of the slide; and the rear end of the pusher dips into the` slideand is tied at 53- to the upper run of the conveyor belt 35. Normally, that is, when thev slide 45 is behind a steel bar laid'over the rollers 2l, as shown in Fig. 4, the pusher 50 is in a collapsed position over the slide.- However, when the upper run of the belt moves forwardly, its pull on the rear end of the pusher causes it to break upwardly with the link 5l, so thatV the pusher is raised until its rear end meets a forward. abutment55 of the slide and assumes a substantially vertical position behind the steel bar, as shown in Fig. 5. Now, the continued action of the conveyor belt 35 causes the pusher to impinge. forwardly onA the bar and transfer it from` the rollers 2| upon the side sections 26 of. the conveyor carriage 25. The

" fact that the pusher 5 0 bears on one end portionof the bar 22 will not cause it to advance unevenly, as two or more units of the present apparatus are designed to be located abreast to support the balance of, the bar 22, the pushers of all the units' acting simultaneously.

The carriage 25 has a pair of laterally spaced stripsr which primarily form abutments for the front edge ofthe bar; andthe forward. travel of: the, latter is therefore transmittedto the carriage by way ofthe strips B0, so that the bar may continue its travel properly supported by the side sections 26 of the carriage.

The glider 40 has an associated slide 65 which terminates at its forward end with a cross-head B5 presenting upward terminal bends 61. At a certain point in the forward travel of the carriage, the bends meet a pair of stops 58 which cause the slide 65 to recede and operate through a certain linkage to lower the abutment strips |50 which are situated in front of the steel bar. Now, the continued forward urge of the pusher will move the steel bar downwardly over the inclined forward ends 69 of the carriage sections 2G, so that the steel bar will fall on the track rails I5. The fall of the bar will be broken by a rocker frame 'EG fulcrumed in bearings 1| extended from the slide 65, the rear portion of the rocker frame being weighted as indicated at l2. Thus, while the rocker frame is normally in poised position, as indicated in Fig. 4, it yields to the fall of the steel bar as the latter is pushed off the carriage. The belt drive now may be reversed to return the pusher to the original position, where it will be in readiness to negotiate the next steel bar and repeat the operation. However, with the first bar in place, the dropping action of the second bar would have to occur a commensurate distance back if the second bar is to be deposited neXt behind the rst bar. For this purpose, the rocker frame 'I0 is utilized as a measure when it meets the rst bar as the second one approaches the depositing zone to stop the carrier` and cause the pusher to deposit the second bar on the rocker frame and on the track rails I6 as the rocker frame yields, as was done in the case of the first bar. Therefore, a number of bars may be deposited in succession over the track by repeating the above process, so that the crane or other loading unit will have a suicient number to pick up at each operation.

The stops 68 are also usable as against the steel bars themselves. In other words, after a steel bar has been carried forward, the stops may be found in an upright position to limit the travel of the steel bar to their location. cross-head 6G of the slide 65 will itself meet a cross-bar 'l5 forming part of a slide 'I6 which is.

positioned to travel in the center channel Il'. The cross-bar 'i5 is extended terminally with side brackets 'i3 which are perforated with slots 'IS for the passage of the lstops $8. The latter are carried by sleeves 80 of rectangular cross-section and operable along bars 02 of angle section, these being journaled endwise in brackets 83 carried by the track rails I6, as shown more clearly 4.

in Fig, 8. Thus, the stops 08 may be swung from horizontal, inwardly directed positions to the upstanding positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 6 through the clearances afforded by the slots 19.

Adesigned to be supported by piers 93 or other suitable means some distance above the ground, so that room is had underneath the base for journaling a crankshaft 95 in brackets S5 depending from the track rails IE. The crankshaft has forward throws S1 from which links S8 extend tothe inner sections of the arms 90. The

Then, the

crankshaft 85 is extended rearwardly with a radius arm 99 on the outside of the track. Here, the end of the radius arm is linked to a long rod |00 which extends rearwardly through a bearing |02 carried by the correspondingly positioned rail I6 to terminate with an outward bend |04 in the form of a handle. Fig, 7 shows the mechanism just described corresponding to the normal or upward positions of the stops E8. However, when the handle |04 is pushed forwardly, the crankshaft 95 is rotated to pull down on the inner sections of the cross-arms 90, rotating the bars 82 in directions to swing the stops 68 toward each other and down. At such time1 the handle |04 of the rod |00 has tensioned a spring guide ||0 carried by the associated track rail I6 and tripped a downward offset III formed near the forward end or the guide, stopping the rod |00 from receding and maintaining the stops 68 in the lowered positions. The guide I|0 carries a finger piece ||5 at its forward end which may be depressed to release the rod |00 from the stopping effect of the guide. In such event, the weights 9| will act automatically to swing the arms 80 of the bars 82 and return the stops to the upstanding positions.

It is intended that the stops E3 be adjustable forwardly or rearwardly to assume desired positions, and means are therefore provided to make this possible. Such means involve a pair of pulleys |20 and I2| journaled in the base I5 and located in longitudinally spaced relation alongside the channel I2'. A belt |23 is mounted on the pulleys and attached in wound relation to one of them, so that the action of the belt is positive when such pulley is operated; and a side wing |25 of the slide 'I5 is attached to the upper run of the belt |23 as indicated at |26. Also, the shaft |28 of the pulley I2| extends to one side of the track with an operating crank handle |30. Thus, the operation of the latter in one or the other direction will carry the slide 'IG accordingly and position the stops E8 at the desired point. When this has been attained, a detent |32 operating from a bracket |33 carried by the related track rail I6 may be projected into the periphery of a ratchet wheel |35 carried by the pulley shaft |28, so as to stop the pulley from rotation and the stops 68 from rearward motion.

It is desirable that a control be had for the motion of the carriage 25 in an emergency to stop the same. A brake is therefore provided in relation to the cross-head E5, a cross-slide being mounted on the same which projects a shoe I4! outside the chanel II. The brake is in the form of an angle bar |43,which is parallel to the channel and designed to move toward the same and engage the shoe I4 I. The action of the brake is initiated by pressure on a lever positioned alongside one of the track rails. The lever is carried by a shaft which is rotatable in a bearing |5| attached to the rail. The end of the shaft opposite from the lever is formed as a crank |54 which is opposite the upper end of a bend made upwardly from a cross-bar |56 which is slidable in bearings |51 projecting downwardly from the base I5. The cross-bar i55 is located near the rear end of the conveyor; and a similar but shorter cross-bar is located near the front end thereof. The two cross-bars |56 and |50` are connected for joint transverse motion by being formed with bends |62 and |63 which are attached to cranks |54 made terminally from a longitudinal shaft |55 carried in bearings |56 attached on the outside of the remotely the carriage travels in forward direction, and means for engaging the bar when on the supports to induce its forward movement onto the carriage, such means comprising a second track parallel to the iirst, a belt drive operating with runs over and under the second track, and a pusher connected to the upper belt run and effective on the advance of the latter to engage the bar for the forward movement, a second support disposed in the second track, a slide operable along the second support longitudinally of said upper run and limited in one and the other direction by the connection between the pusher and said upper run, and an element carried by the slide and forming break-links with the pusher, such break-links closing on the forward motion of said upper run to engage the pusher with the slide for the forward propulsion thereof, and the break-links opening on the rearward motion of said upper run to collapse the pusher upon the slide and move the latter rearwardly on the return travel of the pusher.

3. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like, comprising supports on which the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and means for engaging the bar when on the supports to induce its forward movement onto the carriage, such means comprising a second track parallel to the iirst, a belt drive operating with runs over and under the second track, and a pusher connected to the upper belt run and effective on the advance of the latter to engage the bar for the forward movement, a glider operable on the second track, and a slide operable forth and back along the glider and carrying said pusher, the glider having end limits engageable by the slide with the eiect of propelling the glider in either direction when the slide approaches the corresponding end limits of its travel.

4. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the rst, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carf riage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the rst track, and means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage.

5. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the first, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear f adapted to support the bar on its forward movement to leave the carriage, and second means behind the abutments of a relatively narrow dimension and designed to relieve them of friction along said edge when the abutments descend.

6. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the rst, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the rst track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, said abutments being broad and adapted to support the bar on its forward movement to leave the carriage, and second means behind the abutments of a relatively narrow dimension and designed to relieve them of friction along said edge when the abutments descend, said second means comprising wire rods which are foldable by the influence of the bar upon said abutments on the descent of the same.

7, A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the rst, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for slide associated with the rst track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, said abutments being broad and adapted to support the bar on its forward movement to leave the carriage, and second means behind the abutments of a relatively narrow dimension and designed to relieve them of friction along said edge when the abutments descend, said second means comprising wire rods pivotally mounted in the carriage to fold by the inuence of the bar upon said abutments on the descent of the same.

8. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the rst, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the first track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, said abutments being broad and adapted to support the bar on its forward movement to leave the carriage, second means behind the 91 'abutments ofv a relatively Ynarrow `dimension and designed Lto relieve them of friction .along said edge when the abutments descend, said second means comprising wire rodspivotally mounted in 'ther-carriage to fold byfthe inuence of .the Abar upon Vsaid abutments `on the descent of thesame, and said 'wireirods being counter-weighted 'to be restored to the foriglinal position when the fbar has cleared the abutments.

9. A conveying apparatus foristeel bars and the like "comprising a Ltrack extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely-ofthe track and travel forwardly Lon the same, a second track parallel to the first, a glider operable on fthe sec-V ond track-and having means .for Aloading the bars on said carriage on 'the forward movement of the glider, aslide mounted on the carriage and movable yrelative -to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of vthe bar carried by the carriage andmovable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the first track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, the forward progress of the bar from the abutments leading to the deposit vof the bar upon the first track, and an intermediate temporary support for the bar effective prior to such deposit and'carried by the second slide.

10. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward locati-on, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the first, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars yon said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the first track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, the forward progress of the bar from the abutments leading to the deposit of the bar upon the first track, and an intermediate temporary support for the bar effective prior to such deposit and carried by the second slide, such temporary support comprising a rocker frame with its forward portion poised in the depositing path of the bar, the rear portion of the rocker frame being counter-weighted.

11. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending from a rear to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the track and travel forwardly on the same, a second track parallel to the first, a glider operable on the second track and having means for loading the bars on said carriage on the forward movement of the glider, a slide mounted on the carriage and movable relative to said glider, abutments for the forward edge of the bar carried by the carriage and movable downwardly to clear said edge, stop means for the slide associated with the rst track, means between the slide and said abutments to lower them when the slide meets said stop means on the forward travel of the carriage, and other means to return the abutments to their original positions on the backing of the slide from said stop means.

12. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like comprising a track extending ifroma re'ar .to a forward location, a carriage adapted to receive the bars in positions transversely of the Vtrack and 'travel forwardly on Vthe same, 'a second track parallel to the first, a glider operable on `the `second track 'and having imeans for loading the bars 'onsai'dcarriage on the forward movement vof th'e glider, a slide -mounted on the vcarriage and movable relative kto said glider, abutments for the forwardedge of the bar car'- ried by the carriage and movable downwardly `to clear 'said edge, stop means for rthe 'slide associated 'with the first track, means between the slide :and vsaidlabutinents to lower themwhen the slidemeetssaidstop means on `the forward travel of the f'carriage, and said abutments having supports .pivotedto the carriage, such supports being counter-weighted to return the abutments to :their original positions on the backing of the slide vfrom said'stop means.

1.3. A conveying vapparatus for `steel fbars and the like, 'comprising supports on which'the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and stop means for the carriage mounted alongside the track, such stop means being adjustable along the latter, said stop means including guide bars parallel to the track and journaled endwise in the same, sleeves slidable along the guide bars, and pins normally projected upwardly from the sleeves to be in the path of said carriage, the rotation of the guide bars folding said pins inwardly to clear the carriage.

14. A coiveying apparatus for steel bars and the like, comprising supports on which the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and stop means for the carriage mounted alongside the track, such stop means being adjustable along the latter, said stop means including guide bars parallel to the track and journaled endwise in the same, sleeves slidable along the guide bars, pins normally projected upwardly from the sleeves to be in the path of said carriage, the rotation of the guide bars folding said pins inwardly to clear the carriage, and means to restore the pins to their original positions, such means comprising counter-weights effective to rotate the guide bars in reverse direction.

15. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like, comprising supports on which the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and stop means for the carriage mounted alongside the track, such stop means being adjustable along the latter, said stop means including guide bars parallel to the track and j'ournaled endwise in the same, sleeves slidable along the guide bars, pins normally projected upwardly from the sleeves to be in the path of said carriage, and manually controlled means to rotate the guide bars, the rotation of the latter folding said pins inwardly to clear the carriage.

16. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like, comprising supports on which the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and stop means for the carriage mounted alongside the track, such stop means being adjustable along the latter, said stop means including guide bars parallel to the track and journaled endwise in the same, sleeves slidable along the guide bars, pins normally projected upwardly from the sleeves to be in the path of said carriage, manually controlled means to rotate the guide bars, the rotation of such guide bars folding said pins inwardly to clear the carriage, a slide operable in the second track, brackets extended from the slide to receive said pins, and manual means to operate such slide with the effect of moving said pins and sleeves along said guide bars.

17. A conveying apparatus for steel bars and the like, comprising supports on which the bar is deposited, a carriage upon which the bar is advanced from the supports, a track over which the carriage travels in forward direction, and stop means for the carriage mounted alongside the track, such stop means being adjustable along the latter, said stop means including guide bars parallel to the track and journaled endwise in the same, sleeves slidable along the guide bars. pins normally projected upwardly from the sleeves to be in the path of said carriage, manually controlled means to rotate the guide bars, the rotation of such guide bars folding said pins inwardly to clear the carriage, a slide operable in the second track, brackets extended from the slide to receive said pins, and manual means to operate such slide with the effect of moving said pins and sleeves along said guide bars, such brackets having clearances for the folding and unfolding travel of such pins.

l LOVE WINSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 190,211 Gustin May 1, 1877 244,747 Guscott July 28, 1881 2,405,920 Winston Aug. 13, 1946 

